The Anschreiben (cover letter) is where a German employer decides whether to keep reading your application at all. Unlike your CV, which lists facts, the Anschreiben has to make a personal case for why you specifically are a good fit — for this trade, at this company. Official guidance from the Bundesagentur für Arbeit sets out the structure German employers expect.
Structure and layout
Your Anschreiben should include your contact details and the employer’s contact details, a right-aligned date in DD.MM.YYYY format, and a clear subject line stating the exact position title (and reference number, if the job posting includes one). Keep the whole letter to roughly one page.
The salutation
Research who will actually read your application and address them by name if at all possible — official guidance recommends this over the generic “Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren” wherever a contact person can be identified from the job posting or the company’s website.
The opening: earn attention in a few lines
Official guidance is explicit that openings need to spark real interest (“Einleitungen müssen Interesse wecken”) and specifically advises against starting with the generic, overused phrase “Hiermit bewerbe ich mich” (“With this, I am applying for…”). In 3–5 lines, explain why this specific company and this specific trade — not training in general — interests you.
The body: show evidence, not just claims
This is the core of the letter, roughly 8 lines. Don’t just list your strengths — official guidance specifically recommends providing evidence of where you acquired and already applied the skills you’re claiming (“Belege, wo du diese Kompetenzen erworben und bereits angewendet hast”). Reference concrete internships, school projects, part-time work, or volunteer roles, and connect them directly to what the training role requires.
The connection: why you and this company
In roughly two lines, link your specific strengths to what this particular company or role needs — this is where a generic, mass-sent letter is easiest to spot, and where a tailored one stands out.
The closing
End with a concise, confident sentence expressing your interest in an interview, followed by the standard closing “Mit freundlichen Grüßen” and your signature.
Practical tips
- Research the company properly first — its size, what it makes or does, and how it presents itself on its own website — before writing a word.
- Use direct, active language and a professional, measured tone throughout.
- Have someone proofread the letter before you send it — spelling and grammar errors are treated seriously by German employers reviewing Ausbildung applications.
- If you use AI tools to help draft your letter, check carefully that the final text actually reflects you and your real experience — official guidance specifically warns that AI-generated text doesn’t know you personally, so it needs to be checked against the actual job posting and your actual background.
A note for applicants writing in a second language
Writing a persuasive, error-free Anschreiben in German is genuinely difficult if German is not your first language. It’s worth having your draft checked by someone with strong German — a language teacher, tutor, or a native speaker — rather than relying solely on translation tools, since small grammar errors in a formal application letter can read as carelessness rather than a language-learner’s honest mistake.
Pair your Anschreiben with a properly structured German Lebenslauf, and see our full documents checklist for everything else your application should include. For the complete process, see how to apply for Ausbildung in Germany from India or browse our Ausbildung programmes. Questions? Get in touch.
Where this comes from
This guide is based on the Bundesagentur für Arbeit’s official cover letter guidance, published at arbeitsagentur.de/bildung/bewerbung/anschreiben.
